Electrical contact.



G. W. GOODRIDGE.

ELECTRICAL CONTACT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11, 1910.

Patented July 19, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

GILBERT W. GOODRIDGE, 0F BRIDG-EPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THEBRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT NECTICU'I.

, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF con- ELEGTRIGAL CONTACT.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Application filed May 11,1910. Serial No. 560,640.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT W. Goonmnon, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield andState of Connecticut, have invented a certain new andImprovedsEle-ctrical Contact, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clectrical contact devices and particularly tocenter contacts for plug receptacles and the like, the object of myinvention being to provide an etlicient spring contact the parts ofwhich are readily assembled. the contact being at the same time readilyattached securely to its carrier.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a plugreceptacleinwhich my improved center contact is employed; Fig. 2 is asimilar section of portion of the same on a larger scale and with theplug removed: Fig. tlis a cross section on the line 33,

and Fig. 4 is a perspective of the parts of the contact detached andbefore assembly.

Theplug receptacle illustrated comprises the customary top and bottominsulating buttons A and B respectively, connected by the screw shell Cfrom which the current is led to the shell contact of the swiveling plugD through the spring fingers E. I

My invention is embodied in the center contact of the receptacle throughwhich the current 'is le d to the center contact ofthe plug. As shown,this center contact com prises two cup shaped members 10 and 11 ofdifferent diameters, the smaller inverted and sliding as a plungerwithin the larger. A spring 12, confined between the bottoms of thecups, tends to force the latter apart and thus insures a close contactbetween the center contact of the plug and the plunger cap 10 when theplug'is inserted thus compressing the spring 12. The larger cup isspread at the bottom to form a flange 13 which engages beneath the lowerface of the button B when inserted from beneath through the centralperforation of the latter. The upper portion of the button is slit toform several lugs, some of the latter, viz., lugs 14:

Fig. l, with the plug removed being spread outward to engage the flaredupper end of the perforation in the button to secure said cup 11 rigidlyinposition. The remaining lugs 15 are thrown into engage the outwardlyofi'set shoulder 16 near the open end of the plunger cup 10.

The construction described is obviously extremely simple and easy tomanufacture while thoroughly eliicient as a center contact. The base ofthe cup, 11 being carried below the button B by reason of the flange 13,constitutes a satisfactory center contact for engagement with the centercontact of a lamp or wall socket into which the receptacle may bescrewed, while the current is transmitted therefrom to the plunger cup10 not only through the sliding engagement of the latter with the wallsof the cup 11, but also through the spring 12 and the contact of thelatter with both cups is especially close when most needed, viz., whencom-' pressedby the insertion of the plug l).

Various modifications of the construction shown, which do not departfrom my inven: tion will readily suggest. themselves and I don'ot limitmyself to the precise structure described.

' I claim as. my invention:

'1. A contact of the character described, comprising cupped members ofdifferent diametcrs. the lesser being inverted and sliding within thegreater as a plunger and being offset adjacent its open end, the sidesof the other member being slit adjacent its open end to form a.plurality of lugs some of which are thrown in to engage the shoulder outhe smaller member, in combination with a spring confined between saidmembers and tending to force them apart, substantially as described.

2. A contact of the-character described, comprising cupped members ofdifferent diameters, the lesser being inverted and sliding within thegreater as aplunger, a spring confined between said' members tending toforce the same apart and engaging means to prevent the separation ofsaid members, in combination with a support perforated to receive saidcontact, the larger member besee-,roa

ing shouldered at its base to engage the name to this specification, inthe presence of lower face of saidf support and 1slit afjaicent twosubscribing Witnesses. its open end to 01m a, ura it 0 ugs, some ofwhich are spread 20 enga g e the up- GILBERT GUQDRIDGE' 5 per face ofsaid support, substantially as Witnesses:

described. 7 1 A. J. WA'mRHoUsE,

In testimony whereof I have signed my H. W. GOLDSBOROUGH.

